Apparatus for filling trays with cigarettes or articles of substantially the same shape



y 8, 1963 J. G. E. HILLMAN 3,091,064

APPARATUS FOR FILLING TRAYS WITH CIGARETTES OR ARTICLES 0F SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME SHAPE Filed Feb. 2, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 0 m 20 lu i Anna H3 May 28, 1963 J. G. E. HILLMAN 3,091,054

APPARATUS FOR FILLING TRAYS WITH CIGARETTE-S 0R ARTICLES OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME SHAPE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 2, 1961 y 1963 J. G. E. HILLMAN 3,091,054

APPARATUS FOR FILLING TRAYS WITH CIGARETTES 0R ARTICLES OF SUBSTANTIALLY .THE SAME SHAPE Filed Feb. 2, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 AWL-"N70,? 9&5 2441 41 y 8, 1963 J. G. E. HILLMAN 3,091,064

APPARATUS FOR FILLING TRAYS WITH CIGARETTES OR ARTICLES OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME SHAPE Flled Feb 2 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Ma a/ah y 8, 1963 J. G. E. HILLMAN 3,991,054

APPARATUS FOR FILLING TRAYS WITH CIGARETTES 0R ARTICLES OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME SHAPE Filed Feb. 2, 1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 MM; Miyj/WM ATTQQ/VEVS United States Patent APPARATUS FOR FILLING TRAYS WITH CIGA- RETTES 0R ARTICLES OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SANIE SHAPE James George Edward Hillman, Deptford, London, England, assignor to Molins Machine Company Limited, London, England, a British company Filed Feb. 2, 1961, Ser. No. 86,660 Claims priority, application Great Britain Feb. 9, 1960 6 Claims. (Cl. 53148) This invention concerns improvements in apparatus for filling trays with cigarettes or articles of substantially the same shape.

Apparatus for filling trays with cigarette is known in which cigarettes are first collected as a substantially rectangular stack in superimposed rows and the whole stack of cigarettes is thereafter transferred by a pusher into a tray of suitable shape. The trays each have a base and two end walls and if desired a rear wall. Such apparatus will be termed cigarette-collecting apparatus as specified. One example of such apparatus is disclosed in United States patent specification No. 2,919,529.

Other trays are known in which cigarettes are sometimes directly collected by difierent known apparatus, and such trays have slotted end walls to permit a guide plate to pass through as the trays move along endwise during the filling operation. Large numbers of these slotted trays are in use, and the purpose of the present invention is to adapt apparatus of the kind first mentioned so that slotted trays can be successfully used with said apparatus.

According to the invention there is provided cigarette collecting apparatus as specified, comprising filler members movable to enter the slots in the end walls of a slotted tray, and having surfaces which, when the filler members are in the slots, act to guide cigarettes being pushed into the said tray, and means to move the said members into the slots before cigarettes start to enter the tray.

The said filler members may be carried by pivoted levers arranged to be swung at suitable times so as to carry the said members into and out of the said slots.

The said filler members may be loosely attached to the levers, e.g. by pin and slot connections, so as to be movable lengthwise relatively to the levers, means being pro: vided to raise the filler members to a level higher than that of the bases of the tray slots, and to release the filler members when the latter have entered the slots, so as to permit the filler members to rest on the said bases. The movements of the filler members into and out of the slots may be imparted by means actuated by movements of a platform on which a stack of cigarettes is collected prior to transfer into a tray, the platform being arranged to descend to a position at which the cigarettes are pushed therefrom into the tray, and to ascend after the cigarettes have been pushed therefrom.

The apparatus may include a bridge arranged to be moved into and out of a position between the platform and a tray so as to bridge a gap between them, the movement of the bridge into said position being effected on .downward movement of the platform by an element on one of them engaging a cam surface on the other of them, and wherein the movements of the bridge into and out of the said position are utilised to effect movement of the said filling members into and out of the slots of a tray. The levers carrying the filler members may be arranged to be swung, so as to move the filling members into the said slots, by engagement of members connected to said levers by members connected to the said bridge. The return movements of the said levers may be effected by springs. The apparatus may comprise spring plates attached to the filling members and arranged partially to enter tray slots with said members, while pressing reice siliently against edges of the slots, whereby the spring plates are deformed and stressed.

Further according to the invention there is provided cigarette-collecting apparatus as specified, wherein a stack of cigarettes is lowered by a platform to a position from which the cigarettes can be pushed into an adjacent tray, and wherein the platform is spaced from the tray, said apparatus comprising a bridge arranged to be moved into and out of a bridging position between the platform and the tray to bridge the gap between them prior to the transfer of cigarettes into the tray, the movements of said bridge into and out of said position being actuated by movements of the platform to and from its lowermost position respectively.

The bridge may be carried on pivoted arms which are caused to swing, so as to carry the bridge into the said bridging position, by engagement between an element connected to the bridge and a further element connected to said platform, during movement of the platform to its lowermost position. The apparatus may comprise a roller connected to the platform and a cam member connected to the bridge and having a cam surface arranged to be engaged by said roller on downward movement of the platform.

Apparatus in accordance with the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a typical slotted tray.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of such a tray arranged for filling by transfer of a mass of cigarettes thereinto by means of a pusher.

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation partly in section of parts of a tray filling apparatus,

FIGURE 4 is a view of the left-hand part of FIGURE 3 partly in section and with some parts in a different position,

FIGURE 5 is a view of FIGURE 3 in the direction of the arrow A and shows some further parts,

FIGURE 6 is a view taken from the same standpoint as FIGURE 5, showing a modified construction, and partly in section,

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation of FIGURE 6 looking in the direction of the arrow B,

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of part of FIGURE 7 and partly in section.

Referring first to FIGURE 1 the tray 1 shown has large slots 2 in its end walls because such trays normally move along endwise, as indicated by the arrow, and cigarettes are delivered into the tray by a sloping guide leading down from the catcher band of a cigarette machine. The guide is fixed and therefore the ends of the tray have to be slotted so that the trays can pass by. It will be appreciated that such a tray is not well adapted for the transfer of a mass of cigarettes into it by bodily movement of the mass by a pusher 3, FIGURE 2, because the cigarette ends at the edge of the mass are liable to catch on the far edges of the slots, that is, on the inner edges of the members 4 of the tray, FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, and not only would such cigarettes be ruined but the whole trayfull would be useless until the defective cigarettes had been removed by a long and tedious operation.

To overcome this disadvantage means are provided, in accordance with the present invention, for temporarily filling the slots while the cigarettes are being transferred, and these means will now be described.

The apparatus about to be described includes mechanism which is basically similar to the apparatus fully described and illustrated in- United States patent specification No. 2,919,529, and which will therefore be only briefly described here. Cigarettes are fed down through a chamber 40, FIGURE 5, inthe manner described in said specification and are supported on a platform 5, which is shown in FIGURE at its lowest position, but which moves upwards from the position shown in FIGURE 5 to a position about level with the top of the pusher 3 to receive cigarettes, and down again as cigarettes continue to be fed downwards. When the platform is approaching its lower position the supply of cigarettes is cut off by a row of needles 6, which move into the position shown in FIGURE 5 and pierce the ends of an aligned row of cigarettes, and these support the mass above them. As soon as all cigarettes beneath the row of needles have passed down with the moving platform another platform 7 is' moved into the position shown in FIGURE 5 to ensure that any cigarettes not properly held by the needles are prevented from falling on to the mass supported by the platform 5. This is desirable because just after the platform 5 reaches its lowest position the cigarettes are pushed off it by the pusher 3 and any falling cigarettes might be injured. Once the cigarettes have been moved off the platform 5 the latter rises again to its top position, the platform 7 and needles 6 are retracted and the filling operation is repeated. The mechanism for acmating the platform 5, pusher 3, pins 6 and plate 7 are as described in the above-mentioned specification.

The pusher 3 transfers the cigarette mass to the tray 1, FIGURE 5, and then returns to the position shown. A bridge block 8 is attached at each end to a lever 9 pivoted at 10 and pulled by a spring 11. The bridge 8 is moved into its position where it spans the gap between the platform 5 and the tray, by a roller 12 attached to the platform 5 and which presses on a cam block 14, as the platform approaches its lowest position, and moves the lever 9. Advantage is taken of the bridge movements to operate further mechanism which is about to be described. The bridge is movable to span the gap while the cigarettes are pushed into the tray and then moves back to avoid any risk of cigarettes being rubbed when the tray moves.

Attached to the block 8 is a roller 15 which presses on an inclined plate 16 and causes it to rise. This plate, see FIGURES 3 and 4, is'part of a bell-crank lever comprising a lever 17 pivoted at 18 and a further lever 19, which has' loosely attached thereto a filling plate 21 which effectively fills one tray slot when in proper position. The parts just described are duplicated at the other end of FIGURE 3, and from FIGURE 2 it will be seen that the filling plates converge (considered in the direction of movement of the oncoming cigarettes) so that oncoming cigarettes can enter easily and are guided into position.

To ensure that the filling plates are properly located in the slots the plates are as mentioned above, loosely attached to the levers 19, the attachment being by pin and slot connections at 21, FIGURE 3. A roller 22 is sup ported as shown in FIGURE 4 near the lever 19 and a spring 23 with a bent tail is fixed to the filling plate. When the plate and spring are in the position shown in FIGURE 3 the plate is raised somewhat by the spring tail. As the lever 19 goes to the right, FIGURE 3, the plate begins to fall but the movement of the parts is rapid enough to ensure that the plate enters into the slot while it is still partly in the raised position and thus the lower end of the plate falls neatly into contact with the horizontal edge of the tray slot, see FIGURE 4, and the inner face of the plate is flush with the slot edge at the cigarette entry side and extends inwardly beyond it 'at the rear side, see FIGURE 2. i

In the modified construction shown in FIGURES 6 to 8, the filling plates are mounted to swing about vertical hinges, and swing into .and out of the filling position. In these views, parts which are practically identical with those previously described bear the same references. Referring to FIGURES 6 to 8, the filling plates 30 are bent in U form about lugs 31, which lugs are formed into bosses 32 whereby they are fixed to rotatable hinge pins 4 v 33 which are pivoted in brackets 34 fixed to further brackets 35 which are fixed to a plate 36.

The lower end of each pin 33 has a lever 37 clamped to it whereby the pins maybe rotated through a small angle so that the plates as can move into and out of the slots in the trays. This movement can be easily followed from FIGURE 8, in which one of the plates is shown inside a slot.

The bridge -8 is supported by levers 9 pivoted at 10, as before, and is oscillated by the roller 12 and a spring (not shown) the roller engaging the cam 14- as the platform 5 moves down. A pivot bracket 38 is fixed to the bridge 8, as best shown in FIGURE 8, and in a fork of the bracket there is pivoted at 39 a boss 41 to which is fixed a bent tail 41A, the two parts constituting a lever. The lever is able to pivot slightly with respect to the bridge by compressing a strong spring 42 but it may be regarded as a virtually fixed part of the bridge. As the bridge moves inwards (towards the position in which it is shown in FIGURE 8) to span the aforesaid gap, the part 41A will press on the lever 37 and swing the filling plate 30 into the tray slot as shown in FIGURE 8. The horizontaledge of the slot is marked 42 in FIGURE 7 where it will be seen to be in contact with a curved spring 44. This spring constitutes an extension of the plate 30, being clamped between the plate and a. block 45, FIGURES 6 and 7. The inward movement of the filler plate has caused this spring to curl in the manner shown, but when unstressed the spring is of much larger radius. The reaction of the spring when pressure on the lever 37 is relaxed is sufficient to movethe filling plate 30 and lug 31 back to the inoperative position. v

' What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Cigarette collecting apparatus for use with slotted trays, comprising filler plates movable to enter and fill the slots in the end walls of a slotted tray, and having surfaces which, when the filler plates are in the slots, are substantially flush with interior surfaces of said end walls at one side of the slots and diverge toward the other sides of the slots to provide a converging guide for cigarettes pushed into the said tray so as to enter the wide end of the converging guide, and means to move the said plates into the slots'before the cigarettes enter the tray.

2. Cigarette collecting apparatus according to claim 1 in which pivoted levers carry said filler plates and means are provided to swing said levers at suitable times to carry the said plates into and out of said slots.

3. Cigarette collecting apparatus according to claim 1 in which pivoted levers carry said filler plates and means are provided to swing said levers at suitable times to carry the said platesinto and out of the said slots, the filler plates being slidably mounted on the levers to be movable lengthwise relatively to the levers, and in which means are provided to raise the filler plates by sliding them on the levers to a level higher than the bottom edges of the tray slots, and to release the filler plates when the latter have entered the slots, so as to permit the filler plates to fall to rest on the bottom edges of said bases.

4. Cigarette collecting apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a platform on which a stack of cigarettes is collected prior to transfer into a tray, means for moving the platform up and down, means actuated by the up and down movements of the platform to move the filler plates into and out of the slots in a tray, said platform being separated by a gap from the tray at the position where cigarettes and transferred from the platform to the tray, and in which is provided a bridge movable into said gap to bridge it while the cigarettes are transferred 'and' a roller on .said platform arranged to engage a cam surface on the bridge to move it into the gap as the platform moves down to the transfer position, a member attached to said bridge and a cooperating member attached to each filler plate whereby the bridge movements cause the filling plates to move into and out of the tray slots.-

5 5. Cigarette collecting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which spring plates are provided attached to the filler plates and arranged partially to enter tray slots with said filler plates, while pressing resiliently against edges of the slots, whereby the spring plates are deformed and 5 stressed and thereafter operate to move the filler plates out of the slots.

6. Cigarette collecting apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a platform on which a stack of cigarettes is collected prior to transfer into a tray, means for moving the platform up and down and means actuated by the up and down movements of the platform to move the filler plates into and out of the slots in a tray.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,919,529 Hillman Jan. 5, 1960 

1. CIGARETTE COLLECTING APPARATUS FOR USE WITH SLOTTED TRAYS, COMPRISING FILLER PLATES MOVABLE TO ENTER AND FILL THE SLOTS IN THE END WALLS OF A SLOTTED TRAY, AND HAVING SURFACES WHICH, WHEN THE FILLER PLATES ARE IN THE SLOTS, ARE SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITH INTERIOR SURFACES OF SAID END WALLS AT ONE SIDE OF THE SLOTS AND DIVERGE TOWARD THE OTHER SIDES OF THE SLOTS TO PROVIDE A CONVERGING GUIDE FOR CIGARETTES PUSHED INTO THE SAID TRAY SO AS TO ENTER THE WIDE END OF THE CONVERGING GUIDE, AND MEANS TO MOVE THE SAID PLATES INTO THE SLOTS BEFORE THE CIGARETTES ENTER THE TRAY. 